Space to Move
by Bainbridge
Summary: The crew's Sunday dinner is extra tense because Camille needs space? Unlikely.


A/N: This seriously came to me as I was driving to class the other day and I had to put it down somewhere. Enjoy!

Since winning the Vortex, LMNTRIX and The Mob had settled into their new home in Las Vegas, going as far as to have family dinners on Sundays. These dinners were a chance for the two crews to come together as a team to blow off steam and relax. Moose and Camille were regular guests at Sunday dinners despite returning home to LA after the win. They had long since negotiated with Caesars to be part of the Friday through Sunday shows, allowing them to keep their day jobs and still feed their passion for dance.

It was at one of these Sunday dinners that Andie found herself staring down the most awkward dinner she'd been apart of in a very long time. Moose and Camille were known for being affectionate and never hiding their love, but that wasn't the problem today. The problem today came in the form of a quiet, tense Camille and shifty, sullen Moose, neither of which would sit near the other. The two had disappeared after the afternoon performance and not returned until minutes before dinner.

It was while Sean was gathering everyone around the table that Andie saw the tension. The couple who normally sat directly next to each other, or half on each other's lap if she was being honest, was doing everything in their power to sit away from each other. Eyebrows were raised, but no one invested enough to ask out loud.

Moose had settled in next to Hair, where they spoke quietly about something or other, Camille couldn't tell for sure from where she was sitting by Vladd. Andie continued to watch, seeing Camille watch Moose discreetly. This meant she also saw when the quiet tension come to a boiling point. Hair had asked Moose quietly why he was so honored with his presence during dinner that night and Andie watched as Camille's back went ramrod straight and she blatantly turned to listen to the answer. Moose dropped his attempt at a calm facade and sat silently, thinking about his answer before responding, "Cam needed some space-"

"Cam needed some space?! You HUMILIATED me!" Camille all but yelled, voice cracking as she sprung to her feet. "You humiliated me and you think this is because I need space?"

The whole table had long since gone silent, mouths and eyes open in shock.

"You danced with someone else, to _that_ song, like that, and think I need a little space?"

"Cam-"

"No. You don't get to do this right now. _Now_ I need space. I'm going for a walk. Don't follow me." With that, she walked briskly out of the dining room and out of the door. Andie watched Moose, seeing how his face fell as Cam spoke and the devastation when she walked out.

"I'll be back," Andie mumbled as she followed Camille out the door. She found her standing outside just looking at the city's lights.

"You ok?"

"No. Not really," Camille whispered looking at Andie. "I'm not someone who needs constant reassurance, and goodness knows Moose gives it anyway but I don't know how to process seeing him dance with another girl to OUR song. And Andie, he looked so into it, like he was feeling the song and the moment and he had that "Moose look" he gets when he looks at me. He didn't even notice I was there."

"Oh Cam, I'm sorry. I didn't know that's what was going on, but I'm sure it's not what it looks like."

With that Camille's head fell back in the first genuine laughter she'd had all night. She turned to Andie smiling still.

"Andie, I know he's not cheating. It's Moose. I'm upset because I've never seen him connect with another woman like that while dancing and I'm humiliated because it was to our song and they were dancing in a space that was so public that anyone could stumble on them. That's what hurts. It's a reminder that I'm replaceable and our connection maybe isn't so special, you know? I'll be fine, I just needed time to cool down and think. Maybe Moose was right after all and I did need some space.

"After seeing them dancing, I just stood there and watched them. I watched as he perfected his dance to our song, with another woman. Did you know even when he's irritating me, watching him dance takes my breath away? When they finished he saw me watching and I felt obligated to introduce myself. I introduced myself, reminded Moose dinner was starting soon and I left."

Andie could only sling an arm around her should before whispering in her ear, "Trust me. You two are not replaceable and your connection is definitely special and something to be proud of. Let's go grab our own dinner before we head back for the evening show."

Camille smiled and nodded, leading the way.

As Camille got dressed for the 7 o'clock show she smiled to herself. Andie was right, she did feel better after dinner and girl talk and was ready to hit the stage.

The show began, just like any other show. But as the night went on, it seemed not quite like any other show. She didn't receive her preshow texts from Tyler and Nora, the crew seemed extra antsy and she swore she saw that girl that had been dancing with Moose in the audience.

As the finale song began, a Missy Elliott remix that featured an extended female section of choreography, Camille almost tripped when she saw two more bodies in formation. There at the back of the formation and stepping through the a full crew unison stepping choreography section, was Tyler and Nora. Tyler fell away with the rest of the guys during their "ladies dance" as the Santiagos called it, but Nora stayed in step. She really did stumble when the music shifted unexpectedly to Fred Astaire. She watched, frozen, as Moose and the woman from earlier began dancing. She only unfroze when Moose danced to her, hand out as the other woman danced off stage. He continued dancing, coercing her to follow.

And follow she did. She danced the routine she could do in her sleep. So enthralled in dancing, she didn't notice the rest of the crew's quiet reentrance to the stage with Tyler and Nora. Never losing eye contact with Moose, she did notice when Moose slid to his knees for his solo floor work, and rather than move on to the next section stopped in front of her. The music ebbed to background noise as Moose began speaking.

"Chameleon, you've been my best friend for so long, my girlfriend for several years, and you've always been my dance partner. Today, I'm asking you, Camille Gage, to be my best friend, dance partner, and wife for the rest of our days."

Words didn't come, so overwhelmed with happiness and excitement, all she could do was nod and hug him as he stood and swung her around in celebration.

The theater exploded in applause, and Camille was reminded they were still on stage. With that she turned to the front of the stage, Moose's hand in hers and bowed, leading the beginning of a most unusual curtain call, Tyler and Nora included.

Turning her head to meet her brother's eyes as he again redirected the crowd to cheer for Camille and Moose she couldn't stop the beaming smile that had taken over. He nodded towards the audience where she looked and saw Malcolm sitting comfortably with Moose's parents and grandparents.

Everything made sense and she couldn't fathom how Moose had put it all together, all she knew was she really needed to get the name of that woman who had been dancing with Moose and send flowers.


End file.
